Casablanca

The owner of CasBlanca Coffee, the ever-popular "Mo", gave me free reign in designing the murals. Each area I made up as I went, sketching the basic shapes in pencil and then painting in oils.

This project reflects my belief that good art in the environment can have a profound positive effect on people. At age 14, I visited the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. I was so awed by its splendor that 30 years later it formed the inspiration for these murals.

CasaBlanca - Detail of Casa Forum Room

CasaBlanca - Detail of Tea Room

Every wall surface of this Blaine, Minnesota coffee house is hand-painted, including the faux-moorish tile areas (that seemed to take forever). I worked during business hours and daily received compliments and encouragement. (Also an occasional artistically-motivated volunteer to help with those tiles.

Taking a break from my benevolent dictatorship, I experimented with democracy by having workers, customers, and the owner vote on my choices for the landscape scene behind the faux-window frames.